FEATURE
are trained to recognise the value of age integration. Residents are engaged in decision-making. The result is not just a care facility but a dynamic, inclusive community.
Research consistently supports what we see on the ground that intergenerational programmes improve mood, reduce agitation and enhance communication especially in people living with dementia. Interactions with children encourage residents to reminisce, play and engage more fully. Intergenerational initiatives have also been seen to improve academic performance in children, reduce ageist attitudes and strengthen civic participation. Crucially, these benefits extend beyond individuals to systems. Intergenerational models foster social capital, the kind of deep-rooted community connection that supports resilience during times of crisis.
Intergenerational thinking is now being recognised in national strategies. NHS England’s Long-Term Plan calls for stronger community-based care and personalised models that reflect lived experience. The Care Quality Commission has acknowledged the importance of relationships and social engagement in delivering high-quality care. But policy must go further. We need frameworks and funding that support long-term intergenerational models. That includes:
• Incentivising co-located intergenerational care hubs.
• Embedding age-inclusive design into new housing and care developments.
• Supporting workforce training to build intergenerational practice into daily care.
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Investing in creative, community-based programmes that bring generations together through shared interests and culture.
As Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said: “We are starting to see many care providers developing nursery provision on their sites, and this is helping to foster connections between the generations and is really showing the enormous benefits of mixing age groups. In many ways, this is the natural order of things, where young and old come together to support one another. It is only really since the 20th century that these generational divisions have become the norm. I have personally seen the benefits intergenerational activity delivers for young and old, and I am a firm believer that we need to foster connection and relationships across different age groups if we are going to have a caring society.”
We must reimagine care environments not just as places that look aſter people, but as places that belong to communities. The care home of the future should be a social hub, a creative centre, a space where stories, meals, music and meaning are shared across generations.
At Intergenerational England, we are working with NHS leaders, local authorities, housing associations, schools, and care providers to build this future. Our Talking Generations campaigns, workforce tools, and community innovation labs are helping embed intergenerational thinking across systems. But this is not a task for any one organisation. It is a collective challenge and a collective opportunity.
We urge policymakers, care providers, developers, funders, and community leaders to join us in placing intergenerational connection at the heart of tomorrow’s care. When generations come together, everyone thrives – and that’s the future of care worth building.
www.intergenerationalengland.org
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www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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